India's information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar, in announcing the matter on Twitter yesterday, said the 70-year-old actor was "one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema", and that his contribution as an actor, producer and screenwriter, has been "iconic."
For his lifetime contribute to Indian cinema, Rajinikanth will receive a cash prize of 1 million rupees (RM56,500), on top of the esteemed award.
First presented in 1969, past recipients of the Dadasaheb Phalke award include filmmakers Saytajit Ray and Tapan Sinha, musicians manna Dey and Asha Bhosle, as well as actors Soumitra Chatterjee and Amitabh Bachchan, who last received it in 2019.
The Superstar himself took to Twitter to pen a thank you note to those who contributed to his position in Tamil cinema today, and the award itself.
— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) April 1, 2021
Born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, Rajinikanth's career in Tamil cinema has spanned over 40 years and over 160 movies.
His latest movie, Annatthe, is set to be released later this year.
